


My Only Wish

by SuzukiChiyeko



Category: Junjou Romantica
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Historical, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Original Character(s), Wish Fulfillment, Wishes, Yaoi, slow pacing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-17
Updated: 2018-07-18
Packaged: 2019-06-07 09:35:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15216296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuzukiChiyeko/pseuds/SuzukiChiyeko
Summary: If you could make one wish, what would you wish for? It is something that many have thought about in their lives. When people discovered that Usami Akihiko has the ability of granting that wish, everyone started asking him for that favor. Everyone, except for the one person whose wish Akihiko wanted to grant the most.《Originally written in 2015》





	1. The Seeds of Regret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a word of warning: this story is quite slow-paced.

Akihiko gazed out of the window, a look of disgust directed to the crowd that walked around the piazza. Children ran around, playing with wooden swords while their parents would wander around the market, frowning and glancing disapprovingly. Their unhappy expressions made Akihiko’s blood boil. They had so many beautiful things in their lives, but they would never be satisfied. All they ever thought of was themselves and their own petty desires. The world they lived in was ruled by insatiable greed.

That was why, when the townspeople discovered that Akihiko had a special gift, they came to him immediately. It all started when he still lived in town, surrounded by the people he had come to despise. He wasn’t a well-known person back then, but he had a couple of acquaintances and close friends. One of his best friends was Takahiro, whom he had been in love with for years. Since Takahiro only thought of him as a friend, Akihiko had chosen not to let his true feelings interfere with their strong bond. Instead he had watched his one-sided love find happiness with a woman, while he himself tried not to let his mask break under the heavy weight of his sorrow. It was for the best, Akihiko had convinced himself. After all, it was because of him that Takahiro and his wife were now together.

It wasn’t like he had a choice, though. When Takahiro visited him and told him about the love of his life, Akihiko could only fake smiles and listen to his friend’s rambling speeches about how enamored he was with her. Takahiro had called her name so impassionedly that Akihiko knew he didn’t stand a chance anymore. To conceal all he felt at that very moment, Akihiko congratulated him for finding her and encouraged him to go make a move on her.

Takahiro had been hesitant, expressing his insecurity and fragility. He was obviously afraid of being turned down and even wished for Manami, the beautiful woman who had stolen his heart, to become his girlfriend. Akihiko even remembered the exact words Takahiro had told him.

_“I wish for my sweet, beloved Manami to return my feelings and be mine.”_

Neither Akihiko nor Takahiro could’ve known how that simple phrase would greatly affect both of their lives.

Only one day after that conversation took place, Takahiro came running down the street, yelling Akihiko’s name as he tried to catch up with him. When Akihiko stopped and turned around, he saw the overly excited look in his friend’s eyes and realized what he was about to hear.

“Usagi, she said yes!” Takahiro said, barely having enough breath to talk. “Manami said she loves me too and she wants to be my girlfriend! My wish has been granted, all thanks to you!”

It didn’t sound all that special to Akihiko. Takahiro was simply overjoyed and grateful that he had found love, which he understood perfectly. Yet someone who had overheard everything had become rather curious. When a little girl approached the two men, she looked Akihiko in the eyes, held her breath for a few fleeting seconds, and asked:

“Can you grant my wish, too?”

Akihiko gave her a confused look, taking a moment to think about the question. It was ridiculous to think that anyone would possess the power to grant wishes, but in a child’s vivid imagination anything was possible.

“No,” he answered coldly. There was no reason for him to lie just for the sake of satisfying a young girl’s fantasies. “There’s nothing I can do for you, kid. Now, run along before your parents get worried.”

The girl pouted. “That’s not fair! You’re mean!”

“I can’t grant any wishes,” Akihiko explained with a sigh. He really didn’t like children. “Stop being so persistent and go back to your mom and dad. I don’t have time to deal with you.”

Takahiro smiled sheepishly and patted Akihiko’s back. “Usagi, don’t you think you’re being too ha—”

“Liar!” the girl interrupted, silencing the man almost instantly. She pointed a shaking finger at Akihiko. “You just don’t want to grant my wish. You’re a big meanie!” Her eyes were brimming with tears and her lips began to twitch.

Not wanting the child to cry, Akihiko heaved another sigh. It appeared that he was going to have to play along after all. He knelt down in front of the girl, lowered his voice and spoke to her softly.

“Alright, what do you wish for?”

In the blink of an eye, the little girl’s face lit up in excitement. She took a step towards Akihiko and leaned in, close to his ear. With her left hand, she hid her mouth so that no one could see what she was saying.

“My stupid brother stole my favorite doll from me and hid it somewhere,” she whispered, “I wish to get my doll back.”

The first thought that crossed Akihiko’s mind was how simple and stupid the wish was, but then he reminded himself that it was just a child. He moved back, rising up to his full height. When their gazes met, he nodded at the girl without speaking and watched her run off. Akihiko hoped she wouldn’t come back later to whine about how her wish didn’t come true. It was her own fault for not listening to him in the first place.

Once the child was out of sight, Akihiko turned his attention to Takahiro, who was still standing beside him. His friend gave him another sheepish smile, this time looking relieved and happy. They walked away together, exchanging glances yet no words. The golden and brown leaves that covered the streets in warm autumn colors crunched under their feet, keeping the silence away. Aside from children laughing and chanting in the distance, it was the only sound to be heard.

Akihiko embraced the peace and temporarily closed his eyes, taking a deep, slow breath. It was always a relief to get away from the bustling piazza. Unlike Takahiro, Akihiko wasn’t the type to socialize with whoever he bumped into. He was too much of an introvert to enjoy exchanging such pleasantries with all and sundry. The only people he willingly talked to were Takahiro and Hiroki, his childhood friend.

Feeling someone stare at him, Akihiko opened his eyes and looked at the man next to him. A friendly, warm smile greeted him and, if he hadn’t reminded himself that Takahiro was head over heels with another, he would’ve lost himself in that smile. Now he just mimicked the other as a sign of mutual connection. His actions managed to provoke another reaction.

“You did the right thing,” Takahiro said confidently. “I’m sure you’ve made that little girl very happy.”

“She may be happy now, but I doubt she’ll feel the same way when she finds out it’s was nothing more than an act. I don’t think she will be getting that doll of hers back anytime soon.”

Laughing heartily, Takahiro shook his head. “Usagi, you just don’t get it, do you? Whether her wish comes true is not important. What really matters is that you were nice enough to pretend that you could do her a favor, even though you didn’t want to. You’re much kinder than you give yourself credit for.”

Naturally, Akihiko’s intentions were misunderstood and twisted in a positive way. Granting the girl’s wish, or at least pretending to, was merely an effort to get rid of her. Then again, it was common for Takahiro to look for the good in everyone. The poor man was simply too gullible and naïve. One would expect a person his age to have a better understanding of the world, but nothing seemed to have been impactful enough to change Takahiro’s mindset. With the pleasant mood they were in, Akihiko didn’t feel like refuting either.

For the remainder of the walk he kept quiet, until it was time for the two of them to say goodbye and return to their homes. Once inside his humble abode, Akihiko instantly collapsed on the couch in the living room, drained of all the energy he had in his body before he headed for the piazza. In a matter of a few seconds, he had fallen into a deep slumber.

What happened the next day was something Akihiko remembered all too well, as it was the day that his life took a turn for the worse. It was early when Takahiro knocked on his front door, calling out to him repeatedly as though he was in a hurry. When Akihiko let him in, his friend began to talk incessantly and so fast that it was impossible to even understand a word of what he was saying.

“Takahiro, please slow down and take a deep breath,” Akihiko said, rubbing his eyes as he had woken up only seconds before the man had appeared at his doorstep. Had it been anyone else paying him an unexpected visit, then Akihiko would’ve slammed the door in their face, pure and simple. Since it was Takahiro, however, he tried to be as friendly as he could at such an early hour.

Doing as he was told, Takahiro stopped talking and took a few moments to catch his breath. He was panting, Akihiko noticed, which probably meant that he had run all the way from his house. Whatever he was trying to say had to be something important. As the man’s breathing became normal again, he straightened his back and looked at Akihiko with serious eyes.

“Remember that girl you talked to yesterday?” Takahiro asked. As Akihiko nodded, he waited a couple of seconds before he continued. “You probably won’t believe it, but she actually got her doll back. I saw her this morning at the piazza with her mother, doll in hand. She was telling everyone that a tall man granted her wish and helped her get her favorite doll back.”

Akihiko was astonished, disbelief written all over his face. “That must have been a coincidence,” he replied, leaning against the wall behind him. “Perhaps her mother bought her a doll that looked the same and pretended that it’s the old doll. I don’t have some magical ability to grant people’s wishes. If I did, my own wishes would have come true long ago.”

“But, Usagi…”

The look in Takahiro’s eyes was suddenly filled with sadness, even a hint of disappointment. Upon witnessing that expression, Akihiko cocked an eyebrow. Surely Takahiro didn’t believe any of that nonsense, did he? That’s what Akihiko told himself, but the longer he looked at his friend, the more he began to doubt his own thoughts.

“Takahiro, do you think that the other people in town will believe what that girl said about me?”

“I can’t say for sure,” Takahiro replied honestly, “but in case they do, they’re going to come to you and ask you to grant their wishes as well. I mean, anyone would want their biggest wish to come true.”

Nothing could prove that what Takahiro said was wrong, yet Akihiko wished from the bottom of his heart that it wouldn’t go as his dear friend predicted. The last thing he wanted was to constantly be pestered by others, whether they were acquaintances or strangers. So, in order to prevent that, he was going to have to show them that he did _not_ have the ability the little girl told them about. It couldn’t be that difficult; all he had to do was let someone tell him their wish and make them realize that it won’t come true.

Now that he thought about it, his perspective on the matter had been far too optimistic for his own good. If only he had known what the outcome would be, he would’ve tried to avoid any contact with the townspeople for at least a couple of days. Still, wasn’t this bound to happen at one point or another?

Needless to say, his plans to prove the little girl wrong had failed tremendously. As it turned out, every person who told him their wish would have it granted within a day, or even in a matter of minutes. It was beyond Akihiko’s control; he couldn’t prevent it from happening.

Soon, the news about his gift had spread like a wildfire through town, causing even more people to approach the unwilling man. Men, women and children came and went, telling him their selfish and pathetic wishes. It had not taken long before Akihiko grew tired of it and moved to a smaller house on the hill near his hometown, hoping that he would be left alone.

It was all in vain. Even to this day, Akihiko had put to up with the unexpected and unwanted visits of whoever felt the need to pester him. He had considered moving to another town a couple of times, yet he knew that he would suffer the same fate there. If the news could spread around town in only a day, there was no doubt that it would reach other places as well. Any attempt to escape the consequences of his so-called ‘gift’ was futile.

A sigh escaped Akihiko’s lips as he looked away from the window, wondering why he was capable of granting anyone’s wish except for his own. All he wanted was to live his life in peace. Alas, it appeared that, out of all the wishes in the world, his would never come true.


	2. The Purest of Thoughts

Inside the house, there was only silence. Akihiko's eyes studied the greaves in the hardwood floor beneath his feet, but the man himself did not move from his seat on the couch. The memories of the day he had lost his freedom kept occupying his thoughts, making him wonder what life would be like if he didn't have the power to grant wishes. Maybe Takahiro's wish wouldn't have come true and Manami would be in the hands of another man, leaving Akihiko with an opportunity to make Takahiro his.

Disagreeing with his fantasies, Akihiko shook his head. Takahiro couldn't be happy if his heart was broken by Manami, even when Akihiko would try his hardest to give him whatever he desired. It pained him to think of it, yet he realized that it was for the better. He cared more about the happiness of his best friend than his own, so he was content with the way things were between the two of them.

The same could not be said for the whole granting wishes thing. The townspeople did not seem to realize how much of a burden it was, or they simply didn't care about Akihiko's feelings and took advantage of him all the same. Selfishness wasn't a rare trait among the people living there, so Akihiko assumed the latter.

Suddenly, a knock on the front door interrupted Akihiko's train of thoughts. He emitted a groan, contemplating ignoring whoever was waiting outside, but blocking out the sound proved to be too difficult for him. Irritated, he got on his feet and walked towards the door. By the time he reached it, the knocking had stopped. Seconds passed as Akihiko stood by the door, asking himself who could be visiting him. As far as he was concerned, most of the townspeople had already asked him to grant their wish.

A single name popped up in Akihiko's head; the name of a person who hadn't dared to ask him for anything. Takahashi Misaki, a young man who ran a bakery, always working hard and treating his customers with a sincere kindness. Not so coincidentally, he happened to be Takahiro's younger brother as well. Akihiko had talked to him many times at the bakery, gradually growing so fond of him that he wasn't sure if he liked Misaki as a friend or more than that. Regardless, Akihiko wanted to use his powers to grant Misaki's wish, yet the young man never seemed to know what he should wish for.

When the knocking started again, Akihiko felt far more tempted to open the door. Although unlikely, there was a chance that Misaki had finally made up his mind and settled for a wish. Without a second thought, Akihiko twisted the doorknob and waited in anticipation, hoping to see the face of that sweet baker. His disappointment could be seen in his eyes when he saw a woman instead.

As their eyes met, the woman began to fidget with the frills of her dress nervously. Akihiko realized that he knew her and that he had seen her a long time ago at Takahiro's wedding. It was none other than Kajiwara Manami, Takahiro's precious little wife. It occurred to Akihiko that she also hadn't paid him a visit before, which he had completely forgotten about. He eyed her curiously, watching her bite her lip until she had mustered up the courage to speak.

"Usami-san, I'm sorry to bother you," she apologized in a soft voice. "There is something I w—"

"You don't have to explain it to me," Akihiko interrupted. "I know why you came here. Now, come in so we can get it over with."

Manami flashed a sweet smile as she entered the house, walking slowly and carefully. The door shut behind her and she came to a halt, spinning around on her heels. There was a glint in uncertainty visible in her brown eyes, as if she wasn’t sure what to say next. She made eye contact, then broke it again, and Akihiko could see a faint shade of pink dusting her cheeks. It confused him, yet he said nothing.

“I…I’ve got a wish,” Manami said, almost whispering, “but it’s something that should remain a secret. Right now, I don’t want anyone else to know.” Her gaze met Akihiko’s, the expression on her face alarmingly serious. “Please promise me not to tell anyone about my wish.”

“Idle gossip is not my cup of tea, so you’ve got absolutely nothing to worry about.”

Feeling like the conversation was going to be longer than he hoped for, Akihiko walked to the living room, beckoning to Manami to follow him. They sat down across from one another and continued their conversation.

“So, what do you need from me?” Akihiko asked, crossing his legs and draping an arm over the backrest of the sofa.

“Well, it’s—” Manami cleared her throat, cutting her own sentence short. The blush on her face intensified quickly, the pink turning to a bright red color. As she opened her mouth to speak, no words came out.

A sigh came from the other couch, where Akihiko was bouncing his leg impatiently. He didn’t have time for people who couldn’t straight up tell him what they wanted, much less if they came over uninvited. Manami may have been Takahiro’s wife, but she was just as annoying as anyone else, even though she tried not to be intrusive. What part of ‘getting it over with’ did she not understand?

However, all of the irritation faded when Akihiko noticed Manami putting her hand on her belly, as though she was protecting something. The moment her hand began to move in circular motions, he knew what was going on.

“You’re pregnant…”

“Yes, I am.”

Akihiko’s kept looking at the spot her hand was resting on, but he didn’t see anything notable. Manami’s stomach wasn’t swollen, so he wondered why she was touching it. Then again, he had never really invested time doing research on pregnancy or anything else regarding the female body for that matter.

“I’m sure Takahiro was delighted when he heard the news.”

There was no immediate reply, but the look on Manami’s face told Akihiko that she was troubled. He couldn’t imagine that Takahiro was unwilling to have a child, because he always seemed like a family man. Did Manami cheat on her husband and get pregnant? If that was the case, she probably came to wish for Takahiro to forgive her. She wasn’t the type of person to cheat, though. Akihiko didn’t know her that well, but she had never given him the impression that she was disloyal to the man she married.

The silence that lingered was driving Akihiko crazy. He needed to know the truth, yet the only person who could tell him was Manami herself. How was he supposed to help her if she didn’t talk to him?

“Kajiwara, tell me what happened.”

Turning her head to the right, Manami glanced at the floor. Her hands balled into fists in her lap as she chewed on her bottom lip, which had turned red from all the biting. Explaining the situation was definitely giving her a hard time, which rapidly aroused suspicion.

"Takahiro doesn't know yet," she admitted after two minutes of holding her tongue.

Anger began to take control of Akihiko's mind, so he tried to compose himself before he lashed out at the woman across from him. There had to be a reason behind Manami's secretive behavior. Judging from her answer, she appeared to have plans of informing Takahiro eventually, but that was nothing more than an assumption.

"Why didn't you tell him?" Akihiko asked, cocking an eyebrow. "He is the father of the child, isn't he?"

"Of course he is!" Manami sounded shocked because of the other's remark. "I love my husband and I'd never betray him!” Coughing awkwardly, she silenced herself, embarrassed by her sudden outburst.

It was the first time that Akihiko had seen Manami react so intensely. Perhaps his questions had given her the idea that he doubted her sense of commitment. In spite of the fact that was partially true, it wasn’t Akihiko’s intention to antagonize her.

“You need to understand that I’m not trying to hide it from him. There just hasn’t been a good opportunity to tell him. Takahiro has been working so hard lately that he is exhausted by the time he comes home, and I don’t want to give him even more to worry about. You see, if he finds out that I’m pregnant, he’ll want me to get rest while he does all the housework. I really don’t want him to do everything all by himself.”

Understanding where Manami was coming from, Akihiko nodded. “All right,” he said as he leaned forward, “so what do you want from me? What do you wish for?”

“As long as everything goes well with our child, Takahiro won’t need to worry. So, I wish for our baby’s health.”

Akihiko said nothing, knowing that he couldn't make any promises about the wish being granted. He was sure that it would come true in due time, though; all of the first wishes from others had too. The only one that hadn't was his own, but he was already far too skeptical to believe that it was ever going to change. Yet, for Manami and Takahiro, there was something big coming up. Knowing his best friend, Takahiro had probably been making all sorts of plans to start a family, and now they were finally making progress.

Since living like a happy family was what the two lovebirds wanted, Akihiko hoped that they could get what they desired. There wasn’t anything he could do aside from listening to their wishes, but as long as that was enough it didn’t even matter.

When Akihiko started paying attention to Manami again, she smiled gratefully at him. As she rose from the sofa, she brushed her skirt flat and ran a hand through her wavy, light brown hair. The shiny silver wedding band on her ring finger caught Akihiko’s eye, reminding him of the wedding where he had been Takahiro’s best man. Apparently, Manami was just as devoted as her husband. Deep down, Akihiko was relieved that he hadn’t sacrificed is love for the wrong person.

Once she had fixed her hair, Manami bowed slightly. “I cannot thank you enough for hearing me out,” she said, meeting the other’s gaze. “Usami-san, I won’t take up anymore of your time, but please come visit us sometime soon. It would make Misaki-kun happy too.”

Upon hearing that name, Akihiko raised an eyebrow at her. “Why are you bringing him up?” he asked. “Did he say something about me?”

“He just wanted to know if you were doing okay. You are one of his regulars, so I suppose it’s natural for him to be a bit concerned about you. Besides, aren’t the two of you friends?”

“I’m hardly more of a friend to him than any of his customers. Come to think of it, I am running out of bread…”

A giggle slipped past Manami’s rosy lips. “Sounds like Misaki-kun will be seeing you soon. That’s good. Well then, I should get going.” Making her way to the door, Manami saw herself out.

The clicking sound that followed signaled her departure, leaving Akihiko alone in his house. For once, he didn’t get the feeling that someone took advantage of the powers he possessed. He was convinced that Manami’s wish wasn’t the only reason behind her sudden visit. No, she genuinely cared about him, like the motherly and kind-hearted woman she was. Akihiko even felt oddly refreshed after talking to her, despite his irritation from before.

Going to town didn’t seem so bad anymore, he decided. Walking over to the genkan, he grabbed his coat and put on his shoes. It had been too long since he had last seen Misaki. He missed that friendly smile, the joyful look in those innocent eyes and the warm voice that welcomed him whenever he came over.

Maybe he really was attracted to Misaki, or he simply enjoyed his positive, pure vibes. How could he not? The young baker was well-liked by everyone; even Hiroki had a soft spot for him, although he’d never say that out loud. Likewise, Akihiko hadn’t admitted that, on more than one occasion, he had visited the bakery for the sole purpose of seeing Misaki.

Chuckling at his own foolishness, Akihiko opened the front door. With all of the things he did to spend time with Misaki, he asked himself why he still questioned his feelings towards the boy. Yet, figuring out what Misaki thought of him was going to be a challenge. If he were to ask him directly, it would make Misaki uncomfortable. It wasn’t a strategy Akihiko preferred either. He’d rather be friends than take the risk of destroying their bond, even if the former would cause his heart to break again.

Akihiko realized he was getting ahead of himself and tried to take a step back. Before drawing any conclusions about Misaki’s feelings, he needed proof, and the best way to get that was to start paying more attention to the signs Misaki was giving him.

With a simple plan to carry out, Akihiko stepped outside. Fishing the house key out of his trouser pocket, he swiftly locked the door. The warmth of the sun wrapped itself around him while a cool breeze messed up his hair. Given that it was already late autumn, it was unusually warm outside.

Akihiko didn’t mind the weather; it was way better than the autumn storms they had the year before. Burying his hands into the pockets of his coat, he started walking down the hill. From there, he could see that the piazza was still crowded, much to his dismay. Suppressing a growl, he continued to follow the path until he had reached town.

Every person that walked past Akihiko sent weird looks his way, as though they were looking at some rare, magical creature. Akihiko had grown used to it over the years, so ignoring them and avoiding eye contact was easy. As he strode past various small shops, his eyes stared at the stones beneath his feet. Countless of trips to the bakery had taught him how to get to his destination without having to check his surroundings.

The smell of freshly baked bread wafted through the streets, titillating the man’s nostrils. He was almost there. Picking up the pace, he turned right and glanced up briefly, noticing the wooden sign hanging above the entrance. As he entered the bakery, a bell rang, causing the owner to stare in his direction. Misaki smiled, but Akihiko could tell that it wasn’t a real smile. Nevertheless, he smiled back and approached the young man.

“Good afternoon, Usagi-san.” Despite the formal greeting, Misaki used Akihiko’s nickname, most likely without realizing it.

“Hello, Misaki,” Akihiko replied casually, “I haven’t seen you in a while. How are you doing?”

“Everything is going well for me, but Nii-chan seems to be pretty stressed out at the moment.”

“Yes, his wife is worried about him.”

Misaki cocked his head and looked at Akihiko curiously. “You talked too Nee-san? When?”

“Very recently, actually.” Leaning on the counter, Akihiko hesitated. He had promised Manami not to tell anyone about her being pregnant, yet felt a strong desire to inform Misaki. Would she really mind if her brother-in-law knew?

The stove behind the counter made a beeping sound, so Misaki turned around and grabbed his oven mitts. Deftly, he opened the stove door and removed an apple pie with a golden brown crust. After putting it on a tray, he faced Akihiko again.

“Right, what were we talking about?” he asked, his brows furrowing in thought. “Oh, you said you spoke to Nee-san. What did the two of you talk about?”

Keeping his promise, Akihiko tried to make his conversation with Manami sound as plain and boring as possible to prevent himself from revealing Manami’s secret.

“Nothing much,” he replied, shrugging. “She told me that Takahiro has been busy and that she’s rather concerned.”

Heaving a sigh, Misaki shook his head. His lips were pressed firmly together, yet Akihiko knew what the young man wanted to say. As Takahiro’s little brother, Misaki knew all about his good and bad habits. Akihiko definitely didn’t know Takahiro as well as Misaki did, but he was aware that his dear friend had the tendency to take too much responsibility. However, what Misaki failed to realize was that he and his brother shared that particular trait.

It was funny, when Akihiko thought about it. At first he believed that Misaki and Takahiro were completely different, but over time he had learned that they were very much alike in certain ways.

“You know,” Akihiko said, “I think Takahiro would say the same about you. This bakery is the only one in town and you’re running it all by yourself. Doesn’t that get tiring?”

“No, you don’t understand. I love my job.”

As Misaki spoke, Akihiko noticed that his voice was suddenly far softer than before and that his eyes were filled with what appeared to be sadness or insecurity. He wasn’t sure what he had done wrong, but he began to worry instantly. At the same time, he grew wary of the way Misaki isolated himself. The latter had stepped away from the counter, standing only a few inches away from the stove.

“Is something bothering you?” Akihiko asked.

Misaki shook his head. “It’s nothing.”

Lavender eyes narrowed, studying the brunet more closely. “There’s something you aren’t telling me.”

“Like I said, it’s no—”

“Don’t lie to me. I can tell that you’re troubled and I’m not planning on leaving until you tell me.” Rubbing his temples, Akihiko took a deep breath, wondering why everyone was acting so bloody mysterious. “Can’t you see I’m worried about you?”

Misaki didn’t utter a word, averting his gaze. If there was a serious issue that he was keeping quiet about, it was understandable that he was having trouble telling it to someone. Even so, Akihiko hoped that Misaki trusted him enough to tell him.

“Does it have something to do with Takahiro?” Akihiko asked, but Misaki just shook his head again. “Then what is it?”

“I…” While he tried to speak, Misaki’s voice cracked. It sounded like he was about to cry. Taking his time to answer the question, he cleared his throat and tried again, until he finally managed to talk properly.

“I may have to close the bakery…”


	3. Bittersweet Aroma

The answer to his question had confused Akihiko to no end. With the town only having one bakery, it didn’t make sense that it had to be shut down, no matter what the reason was. Besides, as far as he could tell, business was good and the customers were all satisfied.  
  
“What are you talking about, Misaki? People love your freshly baked bread and pastries, so why are you planning on closing the bakery?”  
  
“It’s not like I want to!” Realizing that he was being far too loud, Misaki quickly clasped a hand over his mouth and blushed. He lowered his voice and added, “I don’t want to stop doing this, Usagi-san, but I’m afraid I don’t have a choice.”  
  
That didn’t really make it any clearer for Akihiko. If anything, it only left him with more questions. Misaki was the owner of the bakery and, as far as Akihiko could tell, he was doing a fine job at that. With the amount of people that bought bread from him, it was unthinkable that he wouldn’t have enough money to pay the rent. There was no other reason Akihiko could think of though.  
  
“I still don’t understand what you’re trying to say,” he admitted. A terrible thought crossed his mind, making his heart stop for a moment. He was almost too scared to ask, but compelled himself to do it anyway. “Are you planning on moving away?”  
  
Much to his relief, Misaki refuted that. “How could I ever leave this place? The people that I care about all live here and I don’t want to abandon them. No, I fear that the competition will get too fierce for me to keep up.”  
  
“What competition?”  
  
“Haven’t you heard?” Misaki asked, a hint of disbelief crossing his features. “Nakagawa Shirou, the son of the famous baker Nakagawa Tsutomu, has decided to move to our town and start his own business here. His father is so successful; I’m sure everyone prefers buying bread from a family with such a great reputation.”  
  
Akihiko finally understood why Misaki was so worried, but he couldn’t help but think that the boy was merely being too unsure of his own abilities. While placing a hand on the younger’s left shoulder, he showed him a reassuring smile.  
  
“You will be fine, Misaki,” he said confidently, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Just because there’s another bakery doesn’t mean that your customers won’t remain loyal to you. They’ve been buying your products for three years and I’ve never heard anyone complain. All people ever do is praise you for being such a hardworking and kind individual and, trust me, that isn’t going to change.”  
  
"Thanks, Usagi-san..."  
  
Akihiko chuckled. “You're welcome, Misaki."  
  
At last, the corners of Misaki’s lips curved upwards, his smile returning. He was grateful for the encouragement he was given, yet there was still doubt in his eyes. Akihiko knew that there was nothing he could do to boost the young man’s confidence any further, so he chose not to give it a try. By the time Nakagawa Shirou had settled into his new business, Misaki would come to realize that he was far more loved by the townspeople than he thought.  
  
"I'm sure that anyone else would have made a wish to make sure that they could keep running the business,” Akihiko pointed out, “but knowing you, you wouldn’t want that. You haven’t made a wish yet though. How long are you planning on keeping me waiting?”  
  
Misaki looked confused. "Why do you insist on granting my wish, Usagi-san? I know you hate how everyone's going after you just so they can get what they want. Frankly, I don't want to be one of them and bother you with my silly—”  
  
"It is not silly, and you wouldn't bother me. I'm asking you because I want to do you a favor—because I care about you and I want you to be happy. So if there is something that you really want, tell me."  
  
Noticing that Misaki's blush intensified, Akihiko became even more curious. He wanted to know what the other was thinking, if it had something to do with him. The young man was acting so nervously around him all of a sudden.  
  
"I'm waiting..." Akihiko mused.  
  
"Sheesh, don't try to rush me!" Misaki snapped back, sounding more embarrassed than angry. "I told you last time that I don't know and nothing has changed since then. Did you only come here to ask me that?"  
  
"Of course not. I also came here to buy a loaf of bread, but a little bit of socializing is always good."  
  
At that remark, Misaki scoffed. "Like you're the kind of person who talks to people for fun," he muttered, just loud enough for Akihiko to hear. "Anyway, I assume that you want the same as usual, am I right?"  
  
As Akihiko nodded, the brunet turned around, walked over to the right and grabbed a fresh loaf of whole wheat bread from one of the shelves. He cut the bread into slices and wrapped it up, putting it in a bag. From the other side of the counter, Akihiko watched him patiently with an affectionate look in his eyes. Seeing Misaki work was always oddly fascinating.  
  
The loving expression Akihiko wore was masked instantly when Misaki made his way back to the counter, laying the bag of bread on the cold surface. Before he could mention the price, the exact amount was already given to him.  
  
"Thank you," he said as he accepted the money. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"  
  
Several options for a response came to mind, but Akihiko decided to play it safe. "I'm good for now. However..." He deliberately let a couple of seconds pass before finishing his sentence. "Next time I pay you a visit, you should have that wish ready for me."  
  
A frown found its way to the baker's face. "Usagi-san, you're such a weirdo."  
  
"Just promise me that you will think about it," Akihiko replied, clearly not caring about the insult.  
  
Heaving a sigh, Misaki gave in. "Fine, but don't expect too much from me."  
  
The answer was satisfactory, but not exactly what Akihiko was hoping for. At least he had the feeling that Misaki was going to put some more effort into discovering what he really wanted. Until then, he could only wait.  
  
"All right, that is all I needed to know," Akihiko said, taking the bag of bread. "I'll come back to check up on you soon. In the meantime, I want you to keep doing your thing. Don't worry about that new bakery."  
  
"I—I'll try..."  
  
From the way Misaki spoke, Akihiko could tell that he wanted to protest, to tell him that he shouldn't bother coming over just to see how he was doing, yet something prevented him from saying it. Deep down, he hoped it meant that Misaki actually wanted him to visit more often and enjoyed his presence. With the faintest of smiles, he moved away from the counter.  
  
Seeing that Akihiko was about to leave, Misaki bid him goodbye and thanked him for coming over. With his hand clutching the bag tightly, Akihiko exited through the large door. Once outside, he noticed that it wasn't as crowded as before. The other townspeople were probably done shopping and had gone back home to spend time with the family.  
  
From the corner of his eye, Akihiko spotted a person of average length, standing in front of the bakery's display window. As he looked into the other's direction, he realized that it was an unfamiliar face. The stranger was a man with blond hair and brown eyes, wearing a long, dark blue trench coat. He was staring at something inside the bakery, his eyes narrowed and his lips set in a thin line.  
  
Akihiko grew suspicious the longer he watched the man. He didn't know every person in town, but he was positive that he had never seen the guy before. Reminding himself of the news that Misaki had told him, he assumed that the man he was looking at was Nakagawa Shirou. If that was true, it made sense that the guy was checking out the competition he would have to go up against.  
  
Yet, for some reason, he had a bad feeling about this man. There was something in those eyes that Akihiko couldn't decipher, but his gut told him it wasn't anything good. Aside from that, it appeared that the guy wasn't staring at the display, but at Misaki, and that only added to his suspicion.  
  
"Excuse me," Akihiko said, trying to catch the stranger's attention.  
  
It worked like a charm; the man almost tripped over his own feet as he hurriedly moved backwards. His head snapped into Akihiko's direction, brown eyes looking at him with a mixture of surprise and shock. His clumsiness and dumbstruck expression made it tempting to laugh, but Akihiko managed to stay reserved.  
  
"What the hell, man!" the guy exclaimed. "Don't sneak up on me like that."  
  
"I wasn't even trying to do that. Besides, didn't you see me leave the bakery while you were spying on us? Just what exactly are you doing here anyway? If there's something you need you can simply go inside and buy it."  
  
With a scowl, the other looked away. "Wow, how rude. No wonder there are barely any tourists visiting this measly village."  
  
As much as Akihiko wanted to talk back and point out how much of a hypocrite the man was, he resisted. To him, it was clear that the guy was a newcomer, so it had to be the son of the famous baker. It also explained his haughty, I'm-better-than-you attitude.  
  
Shirou glared at him before turning around and walking away. They obviously weren't on good terms, but frankly Akihiko couldn't care less. Being friends with Misaki's soon to be rival wouldn't be convenient, and he wasn't one to care for popularity anyway.

Since his unpleasant conversation with Shirou had ended, Akihiko saw no reason to linger any longer. After sparing the bakery one last glance, he started walking the same route back to his house.

* * *

Back at his humble abode, Akihiko kicked off his shoes and sauntered over to the sofa, sitting down with his coat still hanging off his shoulders. It was on three in the afternoon, yet it felt like he had walked around the piazza for hours. He remembered why he hated going to town.  
  
This time, it was worth it though, because it had given him the chance to see Misaki again. Although their conversation had been short, it was a precious memory to hold on to. However, it had also introduced new questions to keep him busy. He hadn't overlooked the fact that Misaki was acting strange, even after he'd told Akihiko what was bothering him. During the talk, Misaki was blushing a lot more than usual. It was cute, but not the kind of reaction Akihiko expected from him.  
  
Another thing that Akihiko couldn't stop thinking about was what Misaki said about living near the people he cared about. Who were the people that he mentioned? Did he mean Takahiro and Manami, or each of his customers as well? Maybe there was someone besides his family who held a special place in his heart.  
  
Naturally, Akihiko hoped that he was that special person. He was a bit more confident about Misaki's feelings for him, but there was still not enough evidence to fully confirm that Misaki was in love with him.  
  
A long, exasperated sigh escaped him. His desire to see Misaki appeared to be insatiable; he already wanted to see him again.  
  
'The bakery should still be open,' Akihiko thought, trying to convince himself to get out and pay a second visit. 'Misaki will think I'm crazy if I show up again, but...does that even matter?'  
  
Seeing that there was no reason for him to just stay home and ignore his urges, he pushed himself back up. He pulled his coat over his shoulders while walking towards the front door, no longer feeling tired. As his hand reached for the doorknob, a loud, unexpected sound could be heard.  
  
Akihiko furrowed his brows as he realized that someone was knocking on his door. Wondering who it was this time, he opened the door and stood in the doorway, blocking the passage. When his eyes met with the visitor's, he recognized the other instantly.  
  
"Oh, it's you," came out of his mouth, displeasure tainting his words.  
  
"Usami-san, it's a pleasure to see you again," the blond haired man said, a big smile dancing across his face. "Allow me to introduce myself."  
  
"There's no need. Nakagawa Shirou, correct? You're planning to start a bakery here."  
  
The smile on Shirou's face grew even wider. "So you've heard of me. I'm most delighted to hear that, Usami-san." His overly polite way of speaking irritated Akihiko to no end, but he let him finish his babbling either way. "I know we had a bit of a rocky start, so I'd like to apologize for my rudeness. It was completely uncalled for."  
  
"Yes, it was."  
  
Despite the bluntness of Akihiko's response, the friendly look on Shirou's face didn't falter. "If you could give me a second chance, I'm sure we will get along great! What do you say?"  
  
Akihiko didn't have time to fight; he wanted to leave and go back to the bakery. However, that wasn't going to happen until he got rid of Shirou. He knew that the guy wasn't visiting him for the sole purpose of befriending him.  
  
"Fine," Akihiko said emotionlessly. "Will you get to the point already? I have other urgent matters to take care of."

"I see; then I'll make it quick. It has come to my attention that there's another bakery in town that seems to be very popular among the inhabitants. As someone who's just getting started, it will be extremely difficult to get people to come to my bakery instead of the one they're already familiar with."  
  
"You're still beating around the bush."  
  
"I heard you have a special talent, Usami-san. You can grant a person's most precious wish, am I right? It shouldn't be surprising that I would like to ask you to grant mine."  
  
Just as Akihiko thought, Shirou was only pretending to be nice.  
  
"Since I want to follow into my father's footsteps, it would be a disgrace if I can't become the most successful baker here. I can't bring shame to the family name; I'm sure you understand. However, I'm afraid that, even through hard work and dedication, I cannot beat Takahashi-kun."  
  
Akihiko stared at him skeptically. "If you don't have enough confidence, you should try running your business elsewhere."  
  
"That is an option, but then where are the townspeople supposed to buy bread when the Takahashi bakery no longer exists?" The smile on Shirou's face suddenly turned into a grin. "It would be most unfortunate if there was an accident of some sort."  
  
"You..." Akihiko growled as he glared hatefully. "Just what are you—"  
  
"Come on now," Shirou replied, sounding like he was thoroughly enjoying himself. "You already know what I'm up to, Usami-san. I wish for Takahashi-kun's bakery to be destroyed."  
  
Various emotions welled up inside of Akihiko. Anger, fear and panic ripped through him once he realized what was going to happen. Misaki was in danger, and everything that he had worked so hard for was about to be taken away from him. There was no time to lose; Akihiko had to save him.  
  
Adrenaline rushed through Akihiko's veins as he stormed out of his house, knocking Shirou over carelessly. Completely blinded by the fear of losing Misaki, he failed to notice that he wasn't even wearing shoes. At that point, nothing else mattered, and the only thing going on in his head was a single thought.  
  
'Misaki, please be okay.'


	4. Irreversible Decisions

His heart was pounding so hard that it could burst out of his chest. Breathing was uneven, hurried, like he was gasping for air with every step he took. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead as he ran faster. Akihiko had never experienced a fear so intense, neither had he tried so hard to overcome a fear. It was a matter of life and death where not only Misaki, but he himself could lose what he loved most.  
  
Losing Misaki was out of the question. No matter what it would take, Akihiko was going to save him.  
  
A bright light in the middle of the town captured Akihiko’s attention while he ran. Upon further inspected, he realized that it was the result of a fire. Trying to speed up even more, he felt that his legs were almost giving up on him. Still, he refused to stop. Even if the other people in town noticed the fire, there was no guarantee that anyone would try to save Misaki. The baker’s life was in his hands.  
  
By the time he had reached the town, Akihiko he was completely out of breath. With the last strength he could muster, he made haste to the bakery. The flames were quickly growing higher, engulfing the wooden support beams greedily while dark smoke tainted the evening sky. Several families had gathered around the building, watching it burn with frightened expressions. They all looked worried, yet no one seemed to do anything about the fire.  
  
Akihiko made his way through the crowd, his eyes scanning faces in search of the owner.  
  
“Misaki!” he called out, hoping to get a reaction from the young man. “Misaki, where are you?”  
  
Unfortunately, there was no sign of the person he was looking for. Who he did find was Takahiro, running towards the bakery almost as hastily as Akihiko had on his way to town. He stopped in his tracks, putting his hands on his knees while catching his breath.  
  
“Takahiro!”  Akihiko said as loudly as his body would let him, trying to get the other’s attention.  
  
It seemed to work, because Takahiro looked up immediately, locking gazes with his friend. He stood upright and tried to get to Akihiko as fast as he could, his face clammy and sweaty. When he had finally gotten close enough, he almost collapsed with exhaustion. Lucky for him, Akihiko managed to catch him before he hit the ground.  
  
“U…Usagi…” Takahiro panted, trembling slightly. “Where’s Misaki?”  
  
“I looked for him, but he doesn’t seem to be out here,” Akihiko told him.  
  
The bitter truth did nothing to calm Takahiro down, but Akihiko knew that lying wouldn’t help either of them. He let his friend stand on his own feet again before looking over to the burning building. An idea came to him, yet he was unsure of its chances to succeed. It was definitely risky, but he couldn’t think of any other solution.  
  
Letting go of his friend, Akihiko began to approach the bakery. He moved slowly at first, but his pace increased gradually as he became more resolute.  
  
“Wait, Usagi!” Takahiro cried, trying to raise his voice. “It’s too dangerous to go in there!”  
  
Akihiko didn’t stop, nor did he spare the other a glance. “I can’t,” he yelled back, already running towards the bakery. “If I don’t do this, Misaki will die for sure.”  
  
More pleas sounded through the streets, all ignored by the person who was meant to listen to them. Of course Takahiro was trying to stop him; he was afraid that both his younger brother and his best friend were going to die in the fire. Nevertheless, Akihiko did not allow anything to change his mind. The unrelenting heat and the pain in his chest were merely obstacles to keep him from achieving his goal.  
  
It would take a lot more than that to crush his unreserved determination.  
  
The entrance was still clear, yet surrounded by roaring flames that rose up in a threatening manner. Getting past them safely was going to take precise calculations, something that Akihiko really didn’t have time for. Instead, he just burst right in, noticing that his coat caught flame as he passed the doorframe. Quickly, he shrugged the coat off and tossed it away, not caring about the expensive garment being ruined.  
  
Inside the bakery, the air was thick from the smoke. The lack of oxygen was making Akihiko dizzy, which made his eye sight worsen as well. At the back of the bakery, near the cash register, he could make out the outlines of a person. The lights in the bakery were off, but the fire provided enough light for him to see the other’s face. Seeing that the person was Misaki, Akihiko walked towards him. As he did so, the brunet just kept stared into nothingness.  
  
“Oi, Misaki!”  
  
Moss green eyes looked up at him, and Akihiko instantly noticed the sadness that lingered within that gaze. His heart broke at the sight, a strong feeling of guilt striking him. If it wasn’t for him, none of this would have happened. Although it was never his intention, he was responsible for Misaki’s suffering.  
  
Even though they were staring directly at one another, Misaki didn’t utter a word. He kept standing in the same spot, not even giving off any sign of fear. This only made Akihiko worry about him more.  
  
“Misaki, you have to get out of here,” he said, rushing over to him. “We can still make it if we go now.”  
  
“Usagi-san, the bakery…”  
  
Knowing what Misaki meant, Akihiko began to feel even guiltier. With a bitter smile, he placed his hand over Misaki’s and caressed it soothingly. “I know how much this bakery means to you. This is my fault, so I’m really, truly sorry.”  
  
Confusion filled the younger’s eyes. “What do you mean?”  
  
“I’ll explain that later,” Akihiko assured him. “Please, come with me first. I can’t leave you here to die.”  
  
After a few moments of hesitating, Misaki nodded. He stumbled around as though he was drunk, trying to find his way around the counter. His skin was remarkably pale and his lips had taken on a bluish tint. Taking note of all these things, Akihiko immediately took a step towards him.  
  
“You’re almost there,” he coaxed, his own breathing increasing in rate.  
  
Right before he reached him, Misaki collapsed to the floor.  
  
Another rush of adrenaline pumped through Akihiko’s body as he watched the young man fall, the worst case scenario coming into his heart. This couldn’t be the end of it. Shooting forward, he kneeled down and flipped Misaki onto his back. His hands were on Misaki’s shoulders, shaking him gently yet swiftly.  
  
“Come on,” he pleaded repeatedly, “stay with me. Don’t give up on me now.”  
  
Behind him, something made a loud crashing sound. Startled by the unexpected noise, Akihiko shot up and released the other’s shoulders. The building was beginning to collapse since the burning support beams could no longer carry the weight of the roof. They had to get out before they were buried under the remains of the bakery. There was no time to check whether Misaki was still alive.  
  
Akihiko got back up, his eyes darting towards the exit. What was happening outside was no longer visible to him because of all the smoke, but he was sure that everyone was still waiting outside. Lifting Misaki’s body, he threw it over his shoulder and began to make his way back to safety. Misaki wasn’t heavy at all, yet Akihiko was having trouble carrying him. With every step, he felt himself growing weaker.  
  
The exit was close, only a few more steps ahead.  
  
A pounding headache pestered Akihiko as he tried to keep moving. His vision was blurred, making him even more vulnerable to the flames. The wobbling of his legs took away his ability to walk, forcing him to get on his knees once more.

“Damn it!” Akihiko cursed under his breath.

The door was almost within reach; if he got just a little closer, he’d be able to grab the doorframe and pull himself and Misaki out of the building. In a desperate attempt to crawl forward, Akihiko discovered that his legs wouldn’t cooperate.

The more he tried to move, the more his confidence shattered. His body was too weak, too low on oxygen to do anything. He could only lie there, watching the shades of orange dancing around him, until everything went black.

* * *

Something cold and wet tickled Akihiko’s skin as he lay on his side. He could faintly hear someone yelling in the distance, or at least that’s what it sounded like. Truth be told, he wasn’t sure what was real and what wasn’t. All he knew was that, even after opening his eyes, he could not see a thing.

“ _..gi!_ ”

Slowly but surely, the black faded to make room for vague, colorful things. Things that moved so fast that Akihiko’s brain couldn’t progress it yet. From his lips came a groan as he felt sharp pains all over his body, all because he was trying to roll over. Not wanting to feel any of it, he lay still and waited for his vision and hearing to fully recover.

_“…sagi!”_

The same voice called out again, but this time Akihiko recognized it as Takahiro’s voice. If his friend was there, it meant that someone had dragged him out of the bakery and saved his life. He wasn’t able to remember what happened before he lost consciousness, though.  
  
Akihiko’s eyes had finally adjusted, allowing him to discover where he was. As it turned out, he was at the streets right in front of the bakery. The wetness he felt was the rain pouring down on him, running over his skin. He hadn’t even realized that it was raining before. Then again, he didn’t have a clue how much time had passed since he fainted.  
  
"Usagi, you're awake!"  
  
While rubbing the back of his head, Akihiko looked around to find Takahiro. The man came running towards him, like he had before Akihiko entered the bakery. This time, however, he had a look of relief on his face. Glad to see that his friend had regained consciousness, Takahiro got at eye level with him.  
  
"Gosh, you really scared me there," he said, smiling. "I'm so glad you're okay now!"  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Well, we saw you trying to get out of the bakery, but you passed out right before the exit. I knew that with a little help you could be saved, so I..."  
  
Although Takahiro didn't finish his sentence, Akihiko understood him perfectly.

"You decided to take the risk and dragged me out," he finished, pushing himself up. When Takahiro didn’t reply, Akihiko smiled at him. "Thank you for saving my life."  
  
"No, I should be the one thanking you! It was you who fearlessly went inside a burning building to save my baby brother. Anyway, you must be cold. Let me get you something to keep you warm."  
  
As Takahiro ran off, Akihiko realized that he hadn't even asked how Misaki was doing. Other than mentioning him once, Takahiro had not said anything about Misaki yet. He wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad sign. Growing anxious for not knowing what happened to the one he loved, Akihiko began examining his surroundings once more. The bakery was no longer on fire, but it had been damaged to the point that there was almost nothing left. No one else was paying attention to the building; they were all gathered around something, or someone.

Could it be that they were grieving over the death of their baker?

Akihiko practically jumped up, even though his entire body was protesting. Since not a single person felt the need to inform him about Misaki’s condition, he would have to find out on his own. A wave of dizziness washed over him as a result from getting up too fast, but it subsided quickly. He dragged himself towards the crowd slowly, one foot, then the other. The people flocked together like birds, blocking his view.

On his way, the weakened man was spotted by Takahiro, who was about to go back and give him a blanket. He hurried over to Akihiko when he realized what he was trying to do and started to walk next to him, putting one of his friend’s arms around his shoulder. Akihiko spared him a glance, but remained quiet.

“Excuse me, coming through!” Takahiro shouted as they approached the group of people.

Heads turned at the sound and several men and women stepped aside. The closer they got, the harder Akihiko’s heart began to pound. This was the moment of truth. His gaze automatically fixed on the ground to catch a glimpse of Misaki.

Akihiko breathed a sigh of relief when he saw him. Misaki was sitting on the ground with a brown blanket wrapped around him. He was alive and well, albeit still pale and weak-looking. His lips no longer had that unhealthy bluish tint, but the look in his eyes told Akihiko that Misaki was still somewhat absent-minded. Even so, a smile appeared on Akihiko’s face, expressing his indescribable joy.

Takahiro could practically feel the happiness radiating from him. “Go easy on him,” he said as he lifted Akihiko’s arm back over his head. “He’s still a bit mixed-up.”

Nodding at his friend, Akihiko moved closer to Misaki and sat down in front of him. The latter looked at him somewhat glassily, a lazy smile playing on his lips.

“Usagi-san, you’re alive,” he said, failing to sound enthusiastic as his voice was too soft.

“So are you,” Akihiko replied. “I was afraid we wouldn’t make it.”

“Yeah, me too…”

The sadness that accompanied Misaki’s words made the feeling of guilt return. There were many things Akihiko wanted to say, but the sentences in his head were all twisted and knotted. Maybe comforting Misaki wasn’t even possible at this point. That didn’t stop him from trying, though.

“You can still get it back, you know,” he finally said.

Misaki shook his head. “It’s too late, Usagi-san. The fire has already caused too much damage to my bakery, but at least no one got hurt. I’m glad that the surrounding buildings didn’t catch fire.” Staring at the destroyed building, he knitted his eyebrows. “When we were inside, you said that it’s your fault. I…don’t understand what you meant by that.”

Around them, people whispered to each other, probably shocked by the news that their wish granter was responsible for the fire. Akihiko just cleared his throat, not making eye contact with any of them.

“Someone wished for the bakery to be destroyed,” he explained, “and I granted that wish.”

“But how is it your fault then?” Misaki asked, “You can’t decide if you want to make a wish come true or not. The only person who can be blamed for it is the one who made that wish.”

An old lady decided to interfere with their conversation. “Who would do such a terrible thing?” she asked, gasping in horror.

“It was Nakagawa Shirou.”

All of a sudden, it was quiet. The whispering, the gossiping—everything had stopped the moment Shirou’s name slipped past Akihiko’s lips. He needed to explain it no further; it was all clear to everyone how the fire had started and why. Some of the townspeople looked shocked, while others had expressions of anger or disgust on their faces. They had all heard the news about the famous baker’s son moving to their town and were fairly excited to have the honor to meet Tsutomu’s son.

That excitement was gone forever. Shirou’s attempts to become the most successful baker in town had completely backfired. Instead of gaining popularity among the inhabitants, he had achieved the exact opposite; everyone despised him, just like he deserved.

Taking his chance to continue his talk with Misaki, Akihiko placed his hand on the other’s shoulder to get his attention.

“I know you don’t blame me for this, but I want to do whatever I can to help you.”

“No, you’ve already done so much for me!” Misaki protested, his strength seeming to have returned a little. “Usagi-san, you risked your life to save me. What more could I ever wish for?”

“Your bakery?”

Against all odds, Misaki laughed. “There are more important things in life than a bakery, like good health and happiness. I will get my bakery back someday and when I do, it will be through hard work and dedication.”

The answer was so typical that Akihiko began to chuckle. This was one of the reasons why he had fallen in love with Misaki. He was glad to see that the young man had returned to his usual self.

“If there’s anything I can do, let me know.”

“Actually, there is something…” Misaki inquired vaguely.

Akihiko cocked an eyebrow in surprise. “What is it?”

“I have an important favor to ask you.”

"You're such a tease. Come on, don't keep me in suspense."

Misaki smiled broadly at the unsuspecting man. “Usagi-san, I wish for you to be happy for the rest of your life,” he said.

There it was: the moment that Akihiko had been waiting for. The person whose wish he wanted to grant the most had finally told him what he desired, yet it wasn’t what he had expected. Even though Misaki was selfless and kind to others, Akihiko had not seen this coming. He was flabbergasted, but overjoyed at the same time. Despite the miserable events that had taken place, Akihiko had never felt happier in his life.

Smiling back at Misaki, he nodded. “I’m sure I can do that.”

As long as he was able to spend his time with him, granting that wish would be a piece of cake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted this story to have a fairytale vibe to it, so I had to give it a happy ending. Besides, I don't really like writing sad stories myself; most of my fics are pretty light and fluffy. I may write an epilogue for this story to describe the situation a couple of weeks/months later _if_ I feel like writing again.
> 
> Well, I hope you liked it! Thank you for reading!


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